"I have something I want to tell you, Valentina"
Francis was skittish in a way, his breath wavering with the wind. But Valentina stood numb as she has already heard this confession twice before, the exact same moment. At least she hoped, this time, the gods would bring her back to a different place.
"Go ahead Francis. You don't have to ask." She teased, even though she really wanted to flee rather than replay her heartbreak the third time.
Francis took in a deep breath and at the same time Valentina closed her eyes and let the sea breeze blow through her platinum hair, not noticing Francis had stopped to look at her the moments before. Then another breath from him and a subtle defeated smile from her that you would have never caught, if it wasn't for Francis. And then another breath before he finally released the words that were giving him this short bout of anxiety.
"I love Lilith."
Valentina opened her amethyst eyes, her mood surprisingly calm as she remembered the three little words that had broken her heart hurt much more last time.
"I have fallen in love with Lilith and I mean, you probably knew this already. You are my best friend so it was never going to get past you eventually, but because of that stupid prophecy, everyone is going to be against us and –"
Francis continued to ramble a bit, not even noticing how Valentina was no longer listening. She laughed, stopping any rushing waterfall tears before they could fall. She foolishly believed Francis and her to be lovers written in the stars, destined to protect humanity, just because of 'that stupid prophecy'. It was only then that Valentina was able to finally let go, she couldn't deny the truth to herself any longer; she can never force Francis to be with her. This time she will yield everything.
"I support you Francis! There is no way she doesn't feel the same."
Francis stopped rambling for a moment, his face frozen as Valentina pulled him to a bone crushing hug with a wide-eyed bright smile that he can't seem to look away.
Too stunned to move, Francis took a moment to process Valentina's unexpected reaction; he expected her to act a little bit surprised, taken aback, and even somewhat disappointed at him for crushing their future plans out of the blue, but never this. It almost seemed that the girl holding onto him for dear life was not the same Valentina he grew up with and knew all her life.
"Thank you, Valentina. You don't understand how much that means to me,"
Valentina couldn't help but take in a shaky breath as she hugged him tightly, trying to get a whiff of his natural scent for the last time. Though she had her arms around him, she was letting go all the silly wishes she had and all the hopeless dreams of forever with him. She let go of everything while she hugged him because she knew better, thanks to the painful memories of her past two lives. While Francis was hugging her as if it was any other hug, she was hugging him goodbye this time.
'Goodbye to the future she dreamt of all her life,
Goodbye to everything about us'
Valentina could have lived on her immortal life, hiding her heart break and being happy for him forever like she did before. But she knew anything she chose meant nothing at this point, as this world will soon come to its end. Since this is the very last time, Valentina thought, she could find her happiness - a love story written in the books where she will be the main protagonist - instead of her being the villainess in Francis and Lillith's tragedy.